


Dinner with Bernie

by Caius



Category: Captain America (comic)
Genre: Gen, Yuletide, challenge:Yuletide 2008, recipient:destroythemeek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-25
Updated: 2008-12-25
Packaged: 2017-10-22 16:50:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/240264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caius/pseuds/Caius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks to Second Batgirl for beta.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Dinner with Bernie

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Second Batgirl for beta.

"Steve! Gotcha, finally. Guess what?" Even over the phone, Bernie managed to project delighted enthusiasm.

"What?" Steve, as always, sounded guilty and worried. Bernie knew about Rachel now, and said she just wanted to be friends, but...he still felt like he should have handled the whole thing better.

"I got promoted at the firm, and this time? I'm going to take _you_ out to dinner. After all, even an junior partner makes more than a full-time superhero."

"Well, I can't guarantee that crime will take a break, but--I would love to see you." It was true--even with the Avengers and his own staff, Steve missed spending time with people he didn't work with. And Bernie in particular--he'd been blowing her off way too much lately.

"Great. Are you free tomorrow night?"

"As far as I know."

"Great. Meet me at Sullivan and Krakower--I get off at six thirty."

* * *

Having been given no instructions as to the restaurant, and having a limited wardrobe in any case, Steve showed up at the law firm in blue jeans and a button-down shirt. He regretted this slightly when he saw Bernie. He'd never seen her dressed to be a lawyer before--it was completely different from what she wore as a glassblower and student. She was still beautiful, of course, but her blue women's suit made her look professional and almost intimidating.

"Steve!" she said, and ran up to give him a brief hug. Yes, it was still Bernie. "How've you been doing? It's been ages. You do keep busy."

"The work is never done, I'm afraid." Steve smiled guiltily. "It's been going okay, though. How about yours?"

"Similar. They expect you to work a _lot_ of hours in this business, too. It's nice, though--serving the cause of justice."

"Yes." Steve smiled, than looked down. "Where are we going?"

"Little place down the street--and loud and cozy, with good food. Won't be private at all, but no one should pay much attention to us."

"Great."

* * *

Steve looked at the menu guiltily. Bernie'd said she was taking _him_ out, of course, and he was sure she _did_ make more than his Avengers' stipend but...like anywhere in this part of town, this was an expensive place.

She looked at him. "Seriously Steve, it's my treat. Anything you want. All those years as a glassblower and then a student--I'm celebrating being _able_ to treat my friends."

Steve grinned. "Sorry. I'm still an old-fashioned guy, I guess." He made his selection and put the menu aside. "So how's business?"

"Fascinating. This is an amazing town for criminal law--Well, I'd imagine you'd know." Bernie waved a hand, signifying Steve's career without referring to it in public. "About three quarters of the firm's cases involve superheroes or villains some way or another."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it." Steve paused. "Do you...represent supervillains?"

"Not yet. Mostly the senior partners handle that, although I've helped on a few cases." Bernie paused. "I've represented a few of their employees, though. Even helped one plee-bargin by turning evidence on the Owl."

"That's good to hear," Steve smiled. "It's good to know that people like you are there to represent the poor folks who get caught up in supervillainy."

"After Captain America beats them up, you mean?" Bernie gave him a half-smile. "Although it was Daredevil in that case. The poor guy was pretty roughed up--if he hadn't decided to turn evidence, I'd have gone to a vigilante brutality sympathy plee next."

Steve winced. "With Daredevil--well, I can't really go into that one. But I'll try to deliver your clients as non-mangled as possible, I promise."

"Hey, as I said--it's not always a bad thing for me."

"Exactly." Steve frowned. "I suppose now you're a defense attorney, we'll be on opposite sides fairly regularly."

"Yeah." Bernie sighed. "To tell the truth, it's why I finally gave up on getting you back--it'd be just way too much of a conflict of interest."

"That's--well, you know I've got someone else now. Sort of." Steve frowned; it wasn't as if he and Rachel were _exactly_ and item, and the conflicts of interests there were, if possible, worse. But it wasn't the same, he reminded myself--Rachel wanted to turn her back on villainy, and he was helping her do that, while Bernie had founder her place in a part of the law that was equally important to, but incompatible with, his.

"Yes, Rachel." Bernie paused, looking distasteful. "How is that going?"

Steve paused. "Well. It's kind of hard to say."

"Can't say I'm in a position to give you advice there." They sat in silence for the moment, and were fortunately interrupted by the arrival of food.

"This does taste good, Bernie," Steve said as he dug in. "I like your choice of restaurant."

"Thanks!" She beamed at him between bites. "One more perk of my new job."

Steve looked at her doubtfully. "It pays well, representing villains?"

"Steve!" Bernie glared at him. "You know as well as I do that they deserve legal council as much as anyone else." She paused. "And yes, it does pay better than glassblowing. Even if some of the money does come from criminals' ill-gotten gains--there are worse things they could be spending it on than letting me take you out for dinner."

Steve smiled. "It's true. One of the great things about this country is that _everyone_ is entitled to legal representation, regardless of what they've done or are accused of doing. And I'm glad you're there to do it, even if you wind up representing the Red Skull one day."

Bernie looked down. There were some things about dating Steve that she would not miss, or forget, either. "I don't know that I could ever do that. I'd be too personally involved. But if he ever recognized our laws--I would try. If no one else could be found."

"It's true. He _wouldn't_ recognize our laws." Steve sighed. "I wish more of my--these--villains wound up in court, quite frankly."

"Don't we all." Bernie raised a glass. "And not just because it'd be good for my business, either."

"Speaking of business--" Steve looked down at his pocket in embarrassment. He pulled out his Avengers communicator. "Looks like I'm going to have to run out on you yet again."

Bernie sighed. "Well, that certainly takes me right back. You go on then, I'll stick around and take care of the check. At least we got through most of dinner this time." She gave him a hug.

"I really am sorry, Bernie. We should talk again sometime soon," Steve said.

"Definitely." Bernie pulled her beeper out of her pocket. "And next time, I might just be the one on call!"

  



End file.
